Images from Standing Rock: The people from Oceti Sakowin Camp

Georgie Ann Lilgreen (Jumping Mouse) – What happens if the pipeline is completed? “It’s poison. It’s our health, it’s our way of life. We’re standing for future generations. This land that we stand on and the things that we do, gives us life. This is what keeps us alive. We are made of it, and we can’t live without it and yet we continue to move forward in a way where we’re disregarding that fact. We’re not taking it into consideration.” Is this resistance movement something that can move to another fossil fuel fight? “Absolutely. It is happening lots of places, in Alaska, all over the world. I would hope that this type of resistance would spread. I will go where I need to go, where the opportunity opens up. At the same time, I need to listen to the creator and make sure that I am walking the path that is meant for me to walk. This is so much more than just fight, it’s spiritual too.” What affect will Donald Trumps election have on you? “I wasn’t voting for either one of them. There’s so much that needs to happen. The direct effect hits all of us. Honestly, I’m not sure how much any president has say in anything. It’s the corporate minded people they’re bought by. This whole consumerism, excessive consumerism. It’s about finding a balance. That whole system affects all of us.”

Oshea Spencer – What happens if the pipeline is completed? “It’s overwhelming to think about. Probably chaos.” Is the resistance movement something that can move to another fossil fuel fight? “A lot of people I’ve met are ready.” What affect will Donald Trumps election have on you? “It’s pretty silly. Definitely affect hispanics and Mexicans. Me? I don’t think it will affect me. It would bring people together, definitely, resist. Revolution maybe, hopefully.”

Frank Archambeaut (Center) – What happens if the pipeline is completed? “I know there’s going to be a lot of lawsuits, a lot of things they’re going to look deeper into, like breaking the treaties. There’s going to be a lot of things occurring against the government from the Great Sioux Nation and the Seven Council Fires. There are lawsuits pending right now. I think we might try to do something to combat against it. I’ve heard suggestions of, if this is going to go through, then why not make it so that the Lakota and every other indigenous people have some part of ownership in the pipeline. So that we know it’s safe, so we know everything about it is safe and we won’t have a spill in that water. I think that’s something we need to look into a lot deeper. They’ve committed a lot of acts of war against us, and it’s ridiculous to know that they are still continuing on with all these treaties. It’s wrong in every aspect. It’s troubling to know from our side that the government is backing DAPL. They said stop working, they’re still working. It’s not right for them to go and desecrate our people.” Is the resistance movement something that can move to another fossil fuel fight? “Yeah, it’s a possibility. I know there are a lot of other reservations and tribes out there who are trying to seek help from us. We could caravan from place to place. TV guide network has already asked me to go from place to place with a crew of five guys but I turned them down. I’m needed here.” What affect will Donald Trump’s election have on you? “There’s a resistance against his election. Why can such an individual be elected here. Such racist intentions. I think it’s wrong for this nation to elect someone with that mindset. People really need to double check the things they check on the ballots. It’s wrong, the statements he’s made against indigenous people, to women. It’s wrong for such a person to be involved with the presidency. It’s going to cause a lot of disturbance, not just with the Native American communities and tribes in the US and Canada, it’s going to be everywhere.”

Jane Eaglespeaker – What happens if this pipeline gets completed? “I think there will be a lot more direct action. All these people are praying so hard, it can’t be. It’s got to be Obama’s last thing he does. If he does anything he’s gotta stop this pipeline. We got word that’s its going to be delayed, which is some good news, but it just means that our people are going to be out here even longer. It’s going to snow tomorrow, and some elders don’t even have winter shelters. Trying to explain so many things to so many people and there’s so much to do, it’s just overwhelming. It’s really wonderful how so many people came together.” Is this resistance movement something that can move to another fossil fuel fight? “They’re doing it all over. This is not just the pipeline. It’s so much more. It’s our ancestors, it’s our land, it’s our people. We’ve got graves all over out here and people don’t even know they’re there and they get desecrated. I don’t see why we couldn’t do it other places. I just get sad when you hear on the security walkie talkies, you can hear those DAPL workers up there. They’re just full of hatred. The things they say are just unbelievable. I know they live sheltered lives outside of the urban areas, but we’re people. It’s peaceful here. I wish they would just come down and see, they may want to join us.” What affect will Donald Trump’s election have on you? “Thank god I’m part Canadian. I don’t think I can give up the fight that easy because I was born here. I think it’s going to affect everybody. I know it’s going to. Seeing this camp here gives me a lot of hope. Look at all these people from all over the world. We always had Donald Trumps everywhere. Donald Trump ain’t nothing new. WE have people like that all over. It’s this that matters. It’s people coming together and supporting fellow man and standing up for what is right. Donald Trump can’t take that power away from us. He can try, but we’ve been oppressed for 500 years, and we still here.”

Julie Richards aka Mama Jules – What happens if this pipeline gets completed? “We can’t let them finish it. I don’t even look at if it gets done, because we cannot let it get finished.” Is this resistance movement something that you can move to another fossil fuel fight? “Exactly. After this camp’s over, I’ll probably go look for another camp.” What affect will Donald Trump’s election have on you? “Fuck the election, fuck anyone who is running, we can live on the land.”

Edward P. Blackcloud – What happens if the pipeline gets completed? “I really don’t think it’s going to get built, at least not through Lakota land, not through Hunkpapa land. It’s not going to get built. There’s too many people backing us here. When the clergymen came here, that was our biggest win. I see the hearts of our young and our old people and we need to keep this prayerful. We made a big enough statement, now the world stands up.” Is this resistance movement something you can move to another fossil fuel fight? “It’s possible. You guys stood with us, we will stand with you. A lot of these natives will go, but they don’t have the means.” What affect will Donald Trump’s election have on you? “I don’t know. They say bad things about him, but there’s good in every man. He’s a businessman, maybe he will do good things. He’s not a politician. Maybe what little bad he has in him, we all have bad in us, maybe that will turn to good. He can say all he wants, it doesn’t matter. We’re here, we’re not going anywhere.”

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